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Buyers

The Home buying Process

Tips for a rewarding buying experience.

Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer, looking to move up to your dream home, seeking a home that better fits your lifestyle or searching for a second home, the Brad Kappel Team has the knowledge, experience and perseverance it takes to guide you on the path to the right property.

The Brad Kappel Team's in-depth understanding of the real estate market in Annapolis, Anne Arundel County and other locations across Maryland is instrumental in locating properties that best match your specific requirements. Throughout the process from previewing and showing properties that meet your needs, to negotiating offers and contingencies, to the inspection and closing – Brad and his team are by your side, every step of the way. They know that buying a home can be both exciting and stressful. Through careful planning, communication and preparation, they help buyers reduce the anxieties that are often associated with this life-changing event.

Knowing what to expect at each stage of the process is an important ingredient for buyers. Because real estate is an industry where ever-changing economic conditions; market fluctuations; local, state and federal regulations; and geographic factors all come into play, having the expertise of a licensed REALTOR® like Brad and his team is crucial.

Determine what you’re looking for. What are your must-have deal breakers vs. nice-to-have features? Take into consideration:

  • Budget range
  • Location / Commute (time/distance)
  • Schools
  • Home and lot size
  • Home features and layout
  • Neighborhood/community amenities, covenants and/or zoning restrictions
  • Age of home
  • Tolerance for remodeling
  • Waterfront vs. waterview or water privileged neighborhood

Schedule an appointment with Brad and his team to discuss what you’re looking for, your timeline, your availability for showings and any other requirements you may have as you begin your search.


Get pre-approved for a mortgage. Knowing how much you can borrow before you begin your house hunt saves time and alleviates surprises down the road. Brad and his team can help introduce you to reputable lenders that can provide assistance throughout the financing process – from pre-approval to funding.

  • Narrow your search. Brad and his team previews each home before you visit – saving you time and showing you the ones that best meet your needs.
  • See what’s possible. Drawing on his years in the industry, Brad and his team are happy to help advise on a home’s potential to meet various criteria on a homebuyer’s wish list.
  • Determining value. Brad and his team will share actual sales prices of similar homes in the neighborhood and other factors that may have influenced the final price. Using this knowledge allows you to determine if the asking price on a home you are interested in is on par with comparable properties.
  • Make a realistic offer. Brad and his team can help you determine a fair opening offer for the home you would like to purchase, and will help negotiate with the seller on price, contingencies, closing dates and other factors.
  • Select a lender and submit a mortgage application. You will want to review your available options with three to four trusted lenders, carefully comparing rates, points, terms, etc. The lenders you select will provide a preliminary projections on closing costs to expect, including attorney fees, title insurance, appraisal fees, recordation fees, taxes, and private mortgage insurance (PMI) if required.
  • Schedule a home inspection. If your offer is accepted, schedule a home inspection as quickly as possible, especially if your offer includes an inspection contingency. Brad and his team can advise on licensed professionals you can engage for your inspection and negotiate with the seller to address issues that may be identified.
  • Coordinate the appraisal with your lender. This is a critical step in determining if your mortgage will be approved for the amount you have requested. Appraisals are conducted by a licensed appraiser approved by the lender and may require access to the home’s interior. Brad and his team can assist in helping coordinate an appraisal and advise you on options if an appraisal falls below expectations. If you are purchasing a home with cash, an appraisal is not required. However, you may wish have a cash appraisal performed to validate your offer.
  • Schedule a pre-closing walk-through. Typically, weeks or months pass between making an offer and the closing date. Just prior to the closing, make time to take a final inspection of the home, its exterior and the property to ensure it is being delivered in the condition you expect. Brad and his team will be with you during the walk-through and advise if you have any concerns.
  • Set up utility billing transfers. Contact the appropriate utility companies to alert them of the date you wish to have the accounts transferred to your name.
  • Ensure all paperwork and disbursements are ready. Brad will carefully review all the documentation that you are required to sign at settlement, advise you of any out-of-pocket expenses that are due at closing, and coordinate arrangements with the lender or financial institution to disburse funds to the seller at settlement.
  • Sign the paperwork. Brad and his team will accompany you to the closing and answer any questions you may have as you sign the necessary paperwork and take possession of your new home.

While every real estate transaction is unique, there are a number of common expenses that buyers and sellers will encounter during the transaction. The chart below shows which party is usually responsible for these expenses. Brad Kappel and his team have years of experience representing both buyers and sellers, and they will advise on what services will be required, when additional professionals should be retained, and where negotiation is possible.

 

SERVICE BUYERS SELLERS

Home, Septic, Termite, Well, Pool, Radon, Lead Inspection(s)

 X  

Location or Boundary Survey

 X  

Mortgage Insurance (if buyer obtains a loan)

 X  

Title Company Admin. Fees

 X X

Real Estate Brokerage Admin. Fee

 X X

Appraisal (for cash buyers if desired); usually part of mortgage-related fees for buyers seeking financing

 X  

Attorney Fees (if required)

 X
(when retained by buyer)		 X
(when retained by seller)

Testimonials

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  • Brad was referred to us by a family member and he was the best real estate agent we’ve had the pleasure of working with. Brad and his team were extremely thorough and made the entire process seamless. We ran into a couple of headaches and without Brad I’m certain that those things wouldn’t have turned out the way they did. He is a top-tier, one-of-a-kind person. I cannot recommend him highly enough.
    — Charles E.
  • Brad was incredibly knowledgeable and organized. He helped us close quickly and secure the right price for the market. Brad helped us feel confident and secure in our property purchase. We would highly recommend Brad and his team.
    — Michael D.
  • We recently closed on our new home with the help of Brad, who helped us create an offer that beat out 11 others. He communicated with us perfectly from the start of our search until closing day and after. He is very knowledgeable about the market and the quality and value of the homes we saw.
    — Dan H.
  • We had one of our best real estate transactions working with Brad! He helped us purchase our first Beautiful home in Annapolis. Brad assisted in making every aspect of our out-of-state move go smoothly!
    — Deborah M.
  • Brad Kappel is a gentleman amongst men! A true professional at the top of his game. I wish I could give him 6 stars! I recently sold my waterfront home with Brad to the first person who viewed it. I was at that point homeless, with 2 months to settlement and we had to be out. He found a house for me to buy and strategized on how we were going to beat out the competing bids and we closed in a month! Then I had a small house to sell in Annapolis and I listed it with Brad and it was sold before we could even take pictures! It never even hit the market. He knows all of the other agents and has a great network. We got well over the asking price. It has t...
    — Gina F.
  • Having just sold our long-time Shady Side cottage through Brad Kappel, we can enthusiastically recommend him without reservation. We were impressed by Brad from the get-go when he arrived for our initial interview having already taken the initiative to do a drive-by of the property, enabling him to present us up front with an exhaustive compilation of well-chosen comparables. Brad's presentation of our property was expertly done, with first-class professional photos, a well-produced personally conducted video tour, and well-prepared descriptive material. His familiarity with the market, his sense of timing, and his negotiating and persuasive skills ...
    — Katherine H.
  • This is the third time we've worked with Brad, to buy, sell and buy again. Each time, he showed excellent knowledge of the Annapolis area, listened to our wants and needs, made the appropriate adjustments, and was, overall, a pleasure to work with. In this seller-friendly market, Brad urged patience, held our hands when we got frustrated, and kept us focused on what was important. Ultimately, we found a wonderful waterfront home. We continue to call on Brad's vast list of contacts in the area to complete some work on the house. We highly recommend Brad to anyone looking for an agent in the Annapolis area.
    — Jill L.
  • Buying or selling real estate is a challenge; it’s financial and emotional and the outcomes are uncertain. Brad’s the person who rescues those of us trying to juggle what often seems to be insurmountable demands. The how is where Brad shines, he genuinely not only understands the market; but he understands you. It’s the combination of experience, leadership, and management that makes him the go-to person. His team, including Mistie and Alex round out their capability to successfully make your real estate transaction trouble-free. Listening to his advice directly and positively impacted my personal transactions. Brad’s the right real estate agent to ...
    — Seller
  • Based on word-of-mouth recommendations and his having previously sold several homes in our area, we interviewed Brad Kappel when we decided to sell our family’s home for the last 7 plus decades. We were immediately impressed with the quality and detail of his preparation and his forthright approach to the discussion. His perceptive analysis demonstrated clear understanding of several unique factors that we believed needed to be taken into account in marketing the property. Once we agreed to list the house with Brad, we came into contact with his obviously carefully chosen team of Sotheby’s colleagues and others who deftly and swiftly executed his ma...
    — Bill T.
  • I cannot imagine a more hard-working, customer-first, polite, professional, courteous, responsive, and above all, just wonderful person to work with, realtor. Brad is the 12th realtor that I have worked with, all in a quite high-value market, and Brad far exceeded any other realtor's performance. Many thanks to Brad and his team!
    — Darlene S.
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Contact Details

Brad Kappel Team

Phone

410.279.9476

Email

[email protected]

Address

209 Main St Annapolis MD 21401

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